Monthly Archives: February 2013

Meet Kazu Kibuishi, the illustrator of the new Harry Potter book covers coming out in September 2013. If you have read his Amulet series, then you know he is an awesome artist. If you have never heard of him before, you might be worried about his credentials. Is he worthy of the epic task of illustrating the book covers to the ultimate series of all time??

I had the chance to interview him a few years ago and he is so, so nice! For those Harry Potter fans who are worried about the new Harry Potter covers, I can assure you we are in good hands with this illustrator!

The Books of the Month series continues! Here's how it works. You write the titles of the books you are reading right now, and I make a word cloud out of all your recommendations. So here they are! You gave me a ton of awesome books for this month's word cloud. Remember, the more votes a title gets, the bigger the print. This month's winner is a tie between Percy Jackson and The Hunger Games (for ages 12 and up).

Keep the Comments coming for next month's Book Wordle! Leave a Comment with the title of the book you are reading right now, and I will make a new word cloud of all our reads for the whole month.

“That’s how you make a fizzy ice-cream cone / That’s how you do it / That’s how you do it.”

Jules Bloom sure has plenty of pizzazz! She was just minding her own business, singing her fizzy ice-cream cone jingle when casting agent Colby Kingston overhears her. Obviously, Colby can’t help but be impressed. She sees something special in Jules, and invites her to audition for a Swish Mouthwash commercial. Jules couldn’t be more excited – until she sees that the mouthwash is orange-flavored!! The last time she had an orange she threw up! Yuck!Jules looks to everyone for help with her orange-phobia: friends, family, and even her ex-best-friend-Charlotte-Stinkytown.

On top of the audition stress, Jules is desperate to become friends with the lovely Elinor, a new student from London. Meanwhile, her ex-best friends The ABC’s (Abby, Brynn, and Charlotte) seem to be taking up different interests from Jules—including a whole lot of attitude! Luckily, Grandma Gilda is always on her side.

The shining star of Beth Ain’s new book, Starring Jules (As Herself) knows she’s on her way to becoming famous, but she just has to get through the audition first. And how does the audition go? Well, read the book and see! After you do, tell us what you would have done if you were in Jules’ shoes in the Comments below!

He’s more than just a dog! Mister Mosely is a special dog. Not just because he’s so big or because he has a heart-shaped splotch on his chest. It’s because he seems to know exactly what everyone in Corey’s family needs, even when they don’t know themselves. If you have a dog, you know how a dog can become the glue that holds a family together. That’s exactly what happens with Mister Mosely and Corey’s family!

Got the One Direction infection? Well look no further than today’s Would You Rather for a temporary cure! If you are obsessed with all things Louis, Harry, Niall, Liam, and Zayn, then answer the questions below.

Last week, we posted an Athlete Personality Quiz to find out which pro sports star you are most like. Are you ready for the results? Count up all your answers to find your place in the lineup.

Mostly A's: LEBRON JAMESYou are one of the hottest basketball players to ever take the court. You were drafted into the NBA straight from high school, and set numerous "youngest player" ever awards like Rookie of the Year, and MVP. Every team you play for gets better with you on the court. You have a super serious work ethic, and school and academics are important to you. Math is your favorite subject, and if you weren’t playing basketball, you’d be an engineer. You like to dress sharp off the court, and usually are wearing a suit. Your advice to make it big is “Always work harder than you normally do.”

Mostly B's: LINDSEY VONNYou are a groundbreaking daredevil ski champion! You started skiing at the age of 2 and grew into the most successful American skier in history. You’ve won 4 overall World Cup Championships and 53 World Cup races in your career. Downhill, Super G, slalom – you name it, you’ve won it. All your hard work and discipline has paid off. You ended up on top, becoming not only a champion, but a media sensation, and a model. When you find something you are passionate about, you go for it.

Mostly C's: DEREK JETERYou are the face of the most famous team in baseball – the New York Yankees! People either love you or hate you, (but mostly love you). You never miss a game, and are a hard worker. You have won 5 World Series and have broken countless baseball records, including most hits in Yankee history. You have a quiet confidence and are a supreme athlete. You have classic good looks and like to hang out with celebrities. No doubt, you’ll go down as a legend in your sport.

Mostly D's: VENUS AND SERENA WILLIAMSYou are an unconventional sports star, and get noticed both on and off the courts for your style and attitude. You are fiercely competitive, and work hard to get ahead. As sisters, you have won 10 doubles championships and various Grand Slams and U.S. Opens. You have a strong family bond not only with each other, but with your parents, who continue to coach you in tennis. But you don’t stop at sports. You have your own fashion line, do TV appearances, art, interior design, and charity work. The sky is the limit for you!

Are you happy with your pro-athlete alter-ego? Leave a Comment to tell us which sports star you are most like.

This dog, Benni, looks like a real team player. Look at how eager he looks! What a dependable-looking guy. If dogs could talk, I bet this is what Benni would be saying in this photo:

“Alright, guys. We’ve got this. Fido, you’re our offense superstar. I want you to give this your all – the dogs on the other team won’t know what hit them. Max, I want you to keep Fido covered at all times. Buddy, our defense lineup is strong but I need you to still have your head 100% in the game – I don’t want the other guys to score a single goal today. You’ve been slacking off a little lately. Don’t let your teammates down. Alright guys, you ready to kick some major butt in soccer today? GO TEAM!”

Think I’m way off-base? What do YOU think is going on with Benni? Share your caption in the Comments!

Jordan Plosky is a professional drummer who tours with Big Time Rush and plays drums in their concerts. If you have ever been to a Big Time Rush concert, you may have seen him playing drums. He also hosts his own podcast, and was nice enough to answer a few questions for us about life with BTR, and his advice for future pro musicians.

It is your last week to donate pajamas and get your invite to the STACKS virtual party. Only STACKS members who send pajamas to the Pajama Program by February 28 will get an exclusive invitation to the first-ever STACKS virtual party, so please send pajamas today! It’s a totally worthy cause that gives books and warm pajamas to kids living in shelters, and we want to show them that STACKers care!

Scholastic has already donated 200,000 books to Pajama Program. I am challenging you to donate one set or a bunch of sets of pajamas. Every STACKS member who sends in pajamas will be invited as a special guest to the biggest virtual party the STACKS has ever had!* If everyone who reads this contributes (that means YOU!), we can at least make it to 2,000 sets of pajamas!

WHAT: New set of pajamas, top and bottom for any age 0-17. Print this form and include it with your donation.

A Dog and his Girl Mysteries Book #1: Play Dead by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens

"Ah. I loved it under the table. I was hard to see there. I was nearly invisible. Undercover. Not an easy thing to pull off when you’re a ninety-pound German shepherd."

Dodge, though retired from his job as a police dog, never lets go of a case once he sniffs one out. Good thing his girl Cassie (the Police Chief's daughter) has a similar sense of smell. The dynamic duo believes there's something fishy going on when the town's richest man disappears after swimming near the dangerous Tempest Point.

No one seemed to care about the grumpy old man until he went missing. The problem is there was no will. Now, suddenly, the town mayor, the housekeeper, a supposed fiancée, and an unheard-of twin all claim the right to the Ward estate. Can Dodge and Cassie solve this inheritance riddle?

Told from both Cassie's and Dodge's point of view, the reader of this book can't help but get caught up in the thrill of the chase. Play Dead is the first in a series recommended to dog lovers and mystery lovers alike, so keep your noses ready for action! And don't forget to share your notes in the Comments!